Alberto Malesani believes Roma are Scudetto contenders, but a troubled Bologna and Marco Di Vaio still hope for an upset.

“Roma are the third most powerful force in Serie A and, along with Inter and Milan, can win the Scudetto,” commented the Coach.

“It is a side with a lot of quality and they are frightening, because they have so much strength in depth.

“We're going to be missing a lot of players, but are not looking for alibis. In this difficult week we have still been able to work as a squad.”

Gaston Ramirez out for several weeks with an injury, but the real damage is in the four players sitting out bans – Daniele Portanova, Diego Perez, Henry Gimenez and Vangelis Moras.

Hitman Di Vaio is also a risk after suffering from a flu virus, but should push through the pain to start.

“Di Vaio is a treasure for this club. As well as being an excellent finisher, he also fires up his teammates and gives them enthusiasm. The lads feel more confident with him around,” continued Malesani.

“I want my side to always go out there fired up and seeking consistency, as there are so many important games ahead of us. When playing at home we must give more than our opponents and I hope the fans can give us a helping hand.”